The prior art is well documented with examples of seat fold mechanisms for use with such as rear row vehicle seats. In particular, such seat fold mechanisms are known which are in use with “stadium style” seat assemblies incorporating a pivotal seat bottom (such as associated with a pickup rear seat), and which is convertible between a use/design position and an upwardly folded/stowed position.
References of note include U.S. Pat. No. 7,374,242 to Champ et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 7,780,234 to Grable et al., each of which exhibiting a form of inertial activated latch assembly in which a pendulum member is rotatably supported in displacing fashion relative to a pair of separated shoulder locations of a rotatable sector concurrent with a pivotally supported seat bottom frame associated with the jump seat being rotated from a downward (design) to upright (stowed) positions.
Additional references include the stadium style seat fold mechanism as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,771, issued to Shea, and which discloses a seat bottom pivotally mounted relative to a seat back and movable between a seating position and an upright folded position. A detent mechanism provides a degree of resistance to movement of the seat bottom from the folded upright and the seating position. An inertia latch mechanism is provided for engaging the seat bottom in the folded upright position in response to a rapid deceleration of the vehicle such as caused by a collision.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,744, issued to Harmon, further teaches a seat dual position locking mechanism for locking a seat component in a stowed or use position for preventing sudden pivotal movement of the seat component in a sudden high energy acceleration or deceleration. The locking mechanism includes a support bracket adapted for mounting on the vehicle floor and a pivot plate pivotally mounted to the support bracket. The pivot plate is secured to the vehicle seat component for pivotal movement therewith. The pivot plate includes a plurality of lock teeth extending therefrom. A pendulum member or pawl is pivotally connected to the support bracket and operative for locking engagement with the lock teeth for preventing substantial seat component movement in a forward or rearward high energy impact.